0:00:06 > 0:00:09Right now, nearly 4,500 miles away,
0:00:09 > 0:00:14Matt Baker and the rest of the Wild Alaska Live team are witnessing
0:00:14 > 0:00:16the world's greatest feast.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20After months of being frozen,
0:00:20 > 0:00:25the arrival of summer brings a four-month rush to feed and breed,
0:00:25 > 0:00:29attracting eagles, sharks, bears and wolves,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32all triggered by the annual arrival of Pacific salmon
0:00:32 > 0:00:35to this vast wilderness.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Wild Alaska Live is capturing this incredible spectacle.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46And we are here every day this week bringing you to the wilder places
0:00:46 > 0:00:48closer to home, right here in the UK.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53As a wildlife cameraman, I've travelled all over the world
0:00:53 > 0:00:56but the wildlife and wild landscapes of these islands holds
0:00:56 > 0:01:01a special place in my heart and are full of surprising wildlife stories.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04As a zoologist, I love getting out
0:01:04 > 0:01:09and about to the wilder parts of the UK to check out inspirational
0:01:09 > 0:01:14conservation projects that keep places like this, Cuil Bay, wild.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Over this series, we're travelling from rivers to mountains,
0:01:18 > 0:01:19from forest to seas,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23and even celebrating some of our wildest cities,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26to bring you the best our country has to offer.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30The UK is a lot wilder than you might think.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32This is Wild UK.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Each day this week, we'll be looking at a different wilderness in the UK.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Now, today, we're revealing
0:02:00 > 0:02:02the wildness of the seas that surround our islands.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10I think we're all fascinated by the sea at some level.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13I mean, just walk along a seashore like this
0:02:13 > 0:02:15and you can make all sorts of little discoveries.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19That's right. They're tantalising clues, aren't they, to the wonderful
0:02:19 > 0:02:21wildlife that is hidden in our seas.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Like out there, in the wild Atlantic Ocean?
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Our seas and coasts are home to a vast array of wildlife that
0:02:30 > 0:02:32few of us ever get to witness.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Later in the show, I'm visiting a place dubbed "Eagle Island",
0:02:37 > 0:02:41to witness an inspirational wild recovery project.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43That is just a magnificent beast!
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I'm enjoying a jewel of a wilderness of the Northumbrian coast,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52home to some of our largest nesting colonies of sea birds.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54I'm sorry - we're just passing through.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58And we're joined by some familiar faces sharing their best past
0:02:58 > 0:03:02experiences of the wildlife that relies on our seas and shorelines,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06and the conservation success stories that have helped them.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09The only way I'm going to estimate the size of that beast
0:03:09 > 0:03:11is to swim next to it.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16But, first, a snapshot of our seas and our marine habitats in 2017.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21As an island nation,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24the UK is surrounded by the sea.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28No-one living here is ever more than around 70 miles -
0:03:28 > 0:03:31110km - from the coast.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And with 7,500 miles - 12,000km - of it,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38there's a lot of coastline to visit.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40And it's quite some coast.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45From the vast, white sandy beaches of the Hebrides,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49to the dramatic and iconic white cliffs of southern England.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55The UK is home to 25 species of sea bird.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01They compete for fish alongside seven species of dolphin.
0:04:04 > 0:04:05And, sometimes, even whales.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09If you take the plunge,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12a dive can reveal hidden secrets of cold water reefs...
0:04:15 > 0:04:18..and wildlife havens on stricken ships.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And it's not just wildlife.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29Our coast attracts millions of holiday-makers every year and
0:04:29 > 0:04:33provides a living for an estimated 12,000 fishermen and women.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35Whether it's the North Sea,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39the Irish Sea, the English Channel or the Atlantic Ocean,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42our waters help define our nation.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Of that, you can be sure.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Now, I've always loved beachcombing,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58and this place is proving to be a little treasure trove.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02And I remember, as a kid, when I found one of these,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04it used to be incredibly exciting.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08This is actually the egg case of some kind of ray.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Now, they're known as "mermaids' purses".
0:05:10 > 0:05:12I always thought that was a wonderful name
0:05:12 > 0:05:16and if you're ever out wandering along the shore and you find these,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19it means that the creatures that laid them are not too far away.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26There are at least 39 species of sharks
0:05:26 > 0:05:30and rays that are regularly found in UK waters, from small cat sharks to
0:05:30 > 0:05:34sleek blue sharks, but not all of them lay eggs in cases.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39They're beautiful things, I always thought.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40Yeah, that's a magnificent specimen.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Of course, the thing about the bigger sharks is that they give
0:05:43 > 0:05:45birth to live young, so they don't leave evidence like this
0:05:45 > 0:05:47lying around on the shoreline.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49If you want to find out about those sharks,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52you've got to go into the ocean.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55And that's exactly what the naturalist, Mike Dilger did,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58on the island of Mull in 2015.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03In the summer months,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07our western shores are visited by Britain's largest fish,
0:06:07 > 0:06:08the basking shark.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Weighing in at up to seven tonnes,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14they sustain their enormous bulk
0:06:14 > 0:06:17on a diet of tiny animals - plankton.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I've come to the Inner Hebrides to catch up on the latest discoveries
0:06:23 > 0:06:26of these animals and to try and get close enough to see
0:06:26 > 0:06:29how big these gentle giants really are.
0:06:31 > 0:06:32They may be huge,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36but they're actually remarkably difficult to find.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39So, we've come to Mull, one of the best places to see them,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and teamed up with skipper James Fairbairns.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45James, the basking shark is a big fish,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47but they're surprisingly tough to spot.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Yeah, I mean, that's the thing.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51They're not like a mammal, like a whale or a dolphin,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53which needs to come to the surface to breathe.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They are only coming up to feed. They're coming up for the plankton.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00So, the chances are it might never come up unless the plankton's there.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02And why is this area so good for them?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Well, we think a lot to do with it is that these waters are warmed
0:07:05 > 0:07:06by the Gulf Stream.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09There's nutrients being brought into these waters.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Also, the areas where they're being seen are relatively shallow,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15so these nutrients are been pushed up to where the plankton is
0:07:15 > 0:07:19blooming and, of course, they're gorging on that plankton.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But, plankton are constantly moving around because of the
0:07:22 > 0:07:25currents in the water, so just knowing where the sharks are
0:07:25 > 0:07:29most likely to be is no guarantee that they'll actually be there.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33This might be a huge animal, but look around me.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It's still, effectively, a needle in a haystack.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41But, very quickly, shark-spotter Andy sees a dark shape in the water.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Shark!
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Shark, right of the lighthouse!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50There it is! Oh, I've just seen...I've just seen the dorsal fin
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and the tail fin together.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54It almost looks like there's two sharks.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56It isn't, it's just one very large one.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00And we don't want to lose our chance,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03so I'm getting kitted up as quickly as I can.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I'm suited up, I've got my flippers, snorkel and mask.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09The only way I'm going to estimate the size of the beast
0:08:09 > 0:08:10is to swim next to it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20What a monster!
0:08:24 > 0:08:28They might look slow, but they can swim a lot faster than I can,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and they appear very quickly out of the murk.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It's heading right for me,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36but this giant shark presents no danger to me.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42These basking sharks have absolutely enormous mouths -
0:08:42 > 0:08:44up to a metre wide.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52They can filter the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool
0:08:52 > 0:08:54of water through their gill-rakers every hour.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03That translates into about 30kg of zooplankton everyday.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07I'm actually swimming in a living soup of basking shark food.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I'm near enough two metres tall.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13From our drone footage, that makes this fish
0:09:13 > 0:09:16an incredible seven metres long.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21These fish can grow up to 12 metres in length.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Basking sharks are true giants,
0:09:26 > 0:09:31and yet, despite scientists' best efforts, we still don't know exactly
0:09:31 > 0:09:34where they go when they disappear from our shores.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39There's something about seeing an animal coming towards you
0:09:39 > 0:09:42with a mouth that wide, that's THAT huge,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44that weighs seven tonnes
0:09:44 > 0:09:48that's memorable and awe-inspiring in equal measure.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52And the mystery that still surrounds these giants
0:09:52 > 0:09:55only makes them even more extraordinary.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Magnificent creatures.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05You know, I try and get to swim with them every summer.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10And you never tire of that great, big white mouth coming at you
0:10:10 > 0:10:12under water. I know they're benign creatures,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15but they just feel enormous when you're in that situation.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18But this is the time for seeing them. Not just off Scotland,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21but summer is when the plankton blooms
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and you find them off the north coast of Ireland
0:10:23 > 0:10:26or the Isle of Man or the south-west of England.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31Now, I know I said earlier that these big sharks leave no trace on
0:10:31 > 0:10:34our shores. But that's not exactly true.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Because there was a spectacular exception to that rule
0:10:37 > 0:10:38earlier this year,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43when a basking shark washed up on the shores of Cornwall.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45It can be quite sad to see a dead shark.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46But for scientists,
0:10:46 > 0:10:51this is an unbelievable opportunity for them to learn more about this
0:10:51 > 0:10:54really poorly-understood animal.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58The thing is, when a shark does wash up on shore,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00they tend to decompose very quickly.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02So the scientists had to act really fast.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Of course, there's no bone in a shark. They're made of cartilage.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08So the evidence doesn't last long.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10No, no bones at all, not like whales and dolphins.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15Which is a shame, because bones can be incredibly useful and tell you
0:11:15 > 0:11:17so much about the animal.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Not just about animals that live now,
0:11:19 > 0:11:24but about long-lost beasts that once roamed this land.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27As marine biologist Miranda Krestovnikoff discovered,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31as she hit the high seas off the east coast of the UK.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38This is the North Sea, 85 miles off the Suffolk coast.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Today, I'm on a fishing trip with a difference.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45We're trawling the sea bed about 25 metres beneath this vessel.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47But it's not fish that we're after.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51We're hoping to catch something altogether much more extraordinary -
0:11:51 > 0:11:52mammoth bones.
0:11:54 > 0:11:5950,000 years ago, this body of water didn't exist.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Now, the Suffolk coastline is in that direction.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03And the Dutch sandy dunes are over there.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07So, beneath me, right now, was once part of mainland Europe.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Fertile feeding grounds, home to the Ice Age giants.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16I've been invited on today's expedition by one of the world's
0:12:16 > 0:12:18leading mammoth specialists,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Dick Mol. Now, often in the movies,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24woolly mammoths get depicted in a very snowy landscape.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25Is that what it would have been like here?
0:12:25 > 0:12:32No, the Ice Age woolly mammoth was living on a grassland environment.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34This was like a Serengeti.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37No elephants, but mammoths.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40No black rhinos, but woolly rhinos.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42There were hyenas, lions.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45It was quite spectacular.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48This giants' paradise didn't last forever, though.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53Around 11,000 years ago, dramatic changes of climate took place.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54The ice was melting,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57and the mammoths' temperate environment disappeared.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02And at the same time, it causes the extinction of these big animals.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Britain became cut off from mainland Europe.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And this once-perfect habitat was drowned
0:13:08 > 0:13:10in what is now the North Sea.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13The remains of its past inhabitants are still here, though.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18As the first nets are brought in, the decks are busy with activity.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24And we strike lucky on the very first trawl.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Oh, look here, look!
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- Look!- Wow!- Wow!
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- Look, can you see? - Wow, that's amazing.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36- Wow!- Fantastic.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- Look at that!- This one, oh...
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- That is huge!- So, is this exciting or not?!
0:13:44 > 0:13:45It's absolutely incredible.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50I expected a few small bits and pieces, but that's absolutely amazing.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Next job is to get the bones out.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55You must be absolutely bursting with excitement.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56This is very, very exciting.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Can you put it over there?
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- Don't drop it!- I won't! Oh!
0:14:02 > 0:14:04SHE LAUGHS
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It's not all about size, though.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12Look! A very nice heel bone of a female woolly mammoth.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15How do you know it's female just by looking at it?
0:14:15 > 0:14:16Because it's so small.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18In a male, it would be twice as big.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20OK. Now, what have you got?
0:14:20 > 0:14:24- Look here.- Wow! What is that? That looks amazing.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26It's a mammoth's molar. Of a very young individual.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I was going to say, I thought they were really big.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31No, this is a young one, this is a milk molar, so to say.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- It's an upper molar. - So it's like that?- Exactly.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- In the tooth.- And this here is the grinding surface.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Wow!
0:14:38 > 0:14:41And it's not just mammoth bones we're finding.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Look at this beautiful specimen. That's a woolly rhino.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46OK, they were around at the same time as the woolly mammoth?
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The same time. They were fellow travellers, so to say.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52But, look, it is damaged here, here and here.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54This is eaten by hyenas.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56You can see the grooves here.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Oh, my God, you can. You're absolutely right.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02That's just mind-blowing.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05That's a little story from the past there, right there in a bone.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Throughout the next few hours,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13we pull up more and more of these wonderful artefacts.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17So, are these bones just lying on the bottom of the sea at the moment?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Are they not covered with layers and layers of sediment?
0:15:20 > 0:15:22No, they are embedded in the sediment, in sand,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25and this sand is covered by a layer of clay,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28preserving the bones in these conditions.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Here, sand is dredged away from the sea bed, deep in the sea,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35so that the big tankers can enter the harbour of Rotterdam.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37And everything which is heavy, like the mammoth bones,
0:15:37 > 0:15:38remain on the sea floor.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40And then we come with our nets and take it.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44You and me, we are the first ones who are seeing these bones.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Nobody else has seen them before.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48I'm the first person who's ever touched that bone.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Exactly, it's 40,000 years old.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51It's really, really special.
0:15:52 > 0:15:57All these bones are from around 30-40,000 years ago.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00And they'll be added to the team's collection from the Pleistocene -
0:16:00 > 0:16:03a period in time often called the last Ice Age.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06It's now one of the most complete collections in the world.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11The collection isn't normally open to the public.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15But today, The One Show has been given exclusive access.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16This is our storage.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21It looks like a cemetery, but it isn't!
0:16:21 > 0:16:23That's incredible! And this is all from the North Sea?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26- All from the North Sea.- Over the last few years,
0:16:26 > 0:16:31this full mammoth skeleton has been taking shape.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33This is phenomenal.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Are these all from one individual, then?
0:16:35 > 0:16:39No, no, these are bones of many, many different individuals.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42You need to have thousands and thousands of bones,
0:16:42 > 0:16:47all remains of animals of the same sex, the same size and the same age.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50OK, so what sex and what age have we got here?
0:16:50 > 0:16:54This is a female of about 45 years at time of death.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59And tell me, what's it like when you find one of your missing bones?
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Oh, it gives you a lot of excitement!
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Because you find a missing part, it's part of a puzzle.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08So, yeah, when you find a tiny little tail vertebra, it makes me happy.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Dick hopes this epic jigsaw and all the other Ice Age animal bones
0:17:13 > 0:17:16will educate people about the importance
0:17:16 > 0:17:18of the North Sea's vibrant past.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22I've now got a real sense of what life was once like on the land that
0:17:22 > 0:17:25stretched between here and the British Isles -
0:17:25 > 0:17:27a place home to an abundance of wildlife
0:17:27 > 0:17:31more spectacular than anything we can see today.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Our seas and coastlines are really magical places.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43But we can't afford to take them for granted.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44But throughout this series,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48we are witnessing the extraordinary lengths that some individuals go to
0:17:48 > 0:17:51to conserve our wildlife and our wild places.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56One particularly successful conservation project
0:17:56 > 0:17:59involved Britain's largest bird of prey.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01In the 19th century in Scotland,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04the white-tailed sea eagle was a relatively common sight.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09But by 1918, it had been hunted and persecuted into extinction.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16However, a reintroduction project began in 1975 on the island of Rum.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Neighbouring island Mull is now a hot spot for these birds.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23And just a few weeks ago, Lucy paid them a visit.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Famed for its wild, rugged scenery,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33the island of Mull is a haven for wildlife.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36And thanks to an amazing reintroduction project,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40sea eagles have been nesting here for the last 40 years.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45I joined the RSPB's David Sexton to track down one of the nests.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48So, this is the spot.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53So if you look just down here through the gap into the forestry trees,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57there's one tree on its own, and the nest is about halfway down. Got it?
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Yes! OK, OK.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02So those birds that you are looking at are chicks.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04No!
0:19:04 > 0:19:06They are, like, eight or nine weeks old now.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09So they're fully feathered.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11They're just a week off being fully grown.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14And it's great to get to this stage.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Because, often eagles in the nest,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20one chick hatches and might kill the sibling.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22The other... They don't often raise two.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25But sea eagles do more often than other eagles.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30And fingers crossed, all being well for the next two or three weeks,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32they'll have made it and they'll take their first flight,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35and that'll be that, they're on their way.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39And if you just go at about 11 o'clock from the nest up onto the branch,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41there's the adult bird, sitting there.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44- Yes!- Got it?- Yeah.
0:19:44 > 0:19:50Amazing pale head, big yellow beak, and that amazing white tail.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53And then those talons are, presumably, the size of your hands.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57They are, and it's just phenomenal when you see them up close.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Eagles are really adaptable.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04They'd be as happy in the marshes and the fens of East Anglia as they
0:20:04 > 0:20:07are in the mountains and sea lochs of Scotland.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Given time and space and a bit of patience,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14they will start to reoccupy that former range.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18To see them in action for myself, I've joined Martin Keevers,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22who is a bit of an expert when it comes to getting close encounters.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26All he needs is a few mackerel to lure them in.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32Martin's just choosing a fish to throw to our eagle, in the hope
0:20:32 > 0:20:33that she'll come and catch it.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42In she comes! Gosh, she's a magnificently big bird!
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Wow! That's fantastic, isn't it?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- It's beautiful.- You must never get bored of your job.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Oh, never. I never get tired of seeing that, ever, no.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53So, is there a danger that, by feeding them, you'll change their behaviour?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56If you feed them too much, then yes, it probably would do.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59But we take advice from the RSPB and Scottish National Heritage
0:20:59 > 0:21:00of an amount that we can give them
0:21:00 > 0:21:02so that it won't change their natural behaviour.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07When sea eagles have young to feed,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11they would naturally be taking up to eight fish per day.
0:21:11 > 0:21:12Martin knows this bird well.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15And this year, he has one chick on the nest.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- Do you know that bird?- We've done it for a couple of years now.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Yeah, he's not the cleanest and smartest-dressed eagle in the world,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28so we've given him the nickname of Compo, but he's a fantastic bird,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30he's a good dad. He's got a chick this year.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Obviously he's taking that fish back now to feed his youngsters.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36And we've just got another eagle coming on the back of the boat now.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39- Is that Compo?- Our old friend, Compo.- Compo's coming back for more?
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Compo's not so shabby, actually, he's coming back for seconds.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Do you want to see if you can give him a fish?
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I'd love to!
0:21:47 > 0:21:49All right, here we go, Compo.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53In he comes!
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Cruising, with ease.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Yes!
0:22:02 > 0:22:04That is so cool!
0:22:06 > 0:22:08I just fed some Sea Eagle chicks.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11That is just a great feeling.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Absolutely wonderful.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18These majestic birds have made a great comeback since their reintroduction
0:22:18 > 0:22:20over 40 years ago.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24And their future here and across the UK is looking bright.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29So, the sea eagle population here in Mull is actually self-sustaining.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37And so that means that the wildlife here in Mull is absolutely thriving.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40To be able to sustain a bird like that...
0:22:40 > 0:22:43This is a truly wild place.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52They really are such wonderful birds and isn't it great to have them back?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55But, you know, we're lucky to live in a place that's got such a varied
0:22:55 > 0:22:59coastline and has proved inspirational for photographers.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03And many of you have been sharing your photographs and experiences with us
0:23:03 > 0:23:06at the hashtag #MyWilderness.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11Like this view of Arran from Seamill Beach in West Kilbride in Scotland.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15And this of Chanters Cave on Ramsey Island in Wales.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20Or this beauty from the Hebridean island of South Uist.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Now, please do keep sharing your wild experiences online with us
0:23:24 > 0:23:27using the hashtag #MyWilderness.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Now, Alaska's wilderness is being revealed all this week on BBC One
0:23:31 > 0:23:36and online and our crews have been out there travelling huge distances
0:23:36 > 0:23:39to find the very best wildlife there is on offer.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42And on tonight's show, we'll be introducing you to the families
0:23:42 > 0:23:46of orcas and the scientists that are researching them.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50To give you a taster, Wild UK have gone behind the scenes
0:23:50 > 0:23:55to see just how do the crew get such stunning shots of orcas in the wild.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03To capture orcas, the Wild Alaska team travelled to Kenai Fjords.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Their base for this five-day expedition is the Dora,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11a fishing and research vessel which the seven-strong team first have to
0:24:11 > 0:24:15load up with over 25 boxes of hi-tech equipment
0:24:15 > 0:24:18they'll need in order to capture the close-up views
0:24:18 > 0:24:20of orca they're after.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Director Tom Paine explains the plan.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28We travelled 26 hours, I think it was, yesterday.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32So, two flights to get here. A bit of a drive. We had about five hours' sleep last night,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34and the plan was to get on the water tomorrow,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36but the weather's looking a bit dodgy, so we're not sure.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38We're going to make a last-minute call on that.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41But apparently they're seeing orca, which is what we're here to do.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44So if we can film the orca, we'll be happy, really.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49The team are planning to film using a complicated stabilised camera
0:24:49 > 0:24:52system to capture the orcas in smooth slow-motion,
0:24:52 > 0:24:56and which the cameraman needs to set up on deck
0:24:56 > 0:24:58before they can leave harbour.
0:24:58 > 0:25:04Despite all the hard work, if the weather and sea state don't allow it, the team won't get out at all.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08And right now it's the wind that's concerning Captain Mike Brittain.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11The wind is supposed to be blowing, like, 25 out of the north,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15which can be challenging in some respects, especially for filming.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20A little rocky. There will be spots where we'll have the lee of the land, so that it's calmer.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24But it's going to be a little challenging.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Thankfully, so far, the weather is on their side.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34For now. And with the boat packed and camera ready,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38the team head out into the Pacific Ocean in search of orca.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46The team are hoping to make the most of the opportunity of good weather.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50And it's not long before orca research scientist, Dan,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52has them in his sights.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55They have been fishing in general.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Right now it's hard to say if they're just travelling to another
0:25:58 > 0:26:01spot to try fishing again. But there was a chase down here.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Presumably a salmon.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06As we saw the rooster-tailing dorsal fin through the water.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Dan knows these orca well.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12But even with expert guidance,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15the team are finding it very difficult to get anything on camera.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19So, it's just up...there you go, nine o'clock.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22One in front has just come up again and gone back down.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25This one we've been following recently never fully comes up.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27You just get half a fin.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31This one was off turning behind you.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33He's staying there behind us.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35- Whoa, whoa, whoa.- Can you see him there in the water?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37There he is. Nine o'clock.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40How annoying.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Frustratingly also, if I've seen the fin already, it's too late,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46I have to have it before the fin breaks the surface.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49It's not easy, this.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54And to top it all off, there's a problem with the hi-tech camera.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56My camera's stopped working.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00One of the problems is that the camera inside this box gets very hot.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01But, as with most things,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04the only way to find out is you turn it off and on again!
0:27:07 > 0:27:11In the end, the broken camera becomes the least of the team's problems.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16The next day, the crew are stuck in harbour.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18The weather has taken a turn for the worse,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and the equipment needs extra protection.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28The following day, the sun is out and so is the team
0:27:28 > 0:27:30in search of orca.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Oh, nine o'clock, 200 yards, 300 yards.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Oh, yeah, I got one.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41Oh!
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Dan's work involves identifying the individual orcas,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48to help keep a record of their movements.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And for that he needs close-up images of their dorsal fins.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56And that's also what the crew are trying to capture.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57The conditions may be perfect,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00but the orcas are still proving a bit tricky.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03It's quite hard, this. You know they're there, but you can't see a thing.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06And suddenly they're off. They may be sharp,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08they may be in the frame, they may be on the edge of frame.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14Slowly but surely, Ted and the team start to get the shots they were after -
0:28:14 > 0:28:17orcas in slow motion, patrolling the seas.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21The last couple of days have been a bit of a nightmare.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24We've enjoyed the experience, but the weather's been awful,
0:28:24 > 0:28:25the swell's been awful,
0:28:25 > 0:28:30and now, finally, we've got a nice weather day and we're actually getting what we came here for.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31So, the satisfaction is huge.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Just fingers crossed we can stay with these guys for long enough,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38and maybe their behaviour will change, or maybe we'll see something different, that's the ideal.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39Who knows?
0:28:40 > 0:28:42It's been five long days.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46But the crew and scientist Dan have finally got what they came for.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57Now, the perseverance of the orca team really did pay off,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00and they got some extraordinary footage, didn't they?
0:29:00 > 0:29:06And there's more of that tonight on BBC One, 8pm, on Wild Alaska Live.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10Now, you don't have to go to Alaska to see orcas, do you, Colin?
0:29:10 > 0:29:13No, you don't. They're also found in UK waters,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16particularly off the northern islands,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18places like Shetland and Orkney.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22And earlier in the year, they came much closer than usual
0:29:22 > 0:29:25and gave the local residents quite a surprise.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29This family pod turned up just off the shore and was captured on a
0:29:29 > 0:29:33mobile phone by diver and photographer Richard Shucksmith.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39It just goes to show that Britain is a lot wilder than you might think
0:29:39 > 0:29:42and to experience it you just need to get out there
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and find the wild places near you.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46But if you need some extra inspiration,
0:29:46 > 0:29:51then here's our guide to where the wild things are.
0:29:57 > 0:30:0140% of the world's population of grey seals breed
0:30:01 > 0:30:03on Britain's beaches.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09The end of September to December is the best time to see pups
0:30:09 > 0:30:13as they take their first swimming lessons, supervised by mum.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19The Moray Firth, just north of Inverness in Scotland,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22is home to Britain's largest resident population
0:30:22 > 0:30:25of bottlenose dolphins, 130 strong.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34We have five species of jellyfish in the UK
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and the most often spotted is the moon jellyfish.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41The south-west seems to be where they are seen the most.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Autumn brings more visitors.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48This breathtaking murmuration of starlings in Aberystwyth has
0:30:48 > 0:30:51gathered from as far afield as Russia.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54It's a sight repeated in countless seaside resorts
0:30:54 > 0:30:57all around the coast.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07The coast of Northumberland in spring and summer
0:31:07 > 0:31:11plays host to thousands of sea birds, including the shag.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15You can follow their breeding behaviour,
0:31:15 > 0:31:19including the entertaining race to make their nests with a limited supply of resources.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30Yes, we really do have some of the great sea bird spectacles here in
0:31:30 > 0:31:33the UK, but Alaska's not so shabby, you know.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36They've got about double the amount of breeding pairs
0:31:36 > 0:31:40that we have from about the same amount of species,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43but they are six times larger than the UK.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48If you want to go and see one of these sea bird colonies for yourself,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51one of the really great ones lies just off the coast of Northumberland.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55I have always wanted to go there and I got the opportunity
0:31:55 > 0:31:58just a couple of weeks ago.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Lying off the Northumberland coast are the rugged volcanic rocks
0:32:03 > 0:32:05of the Farne Islands.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Thanks to their location in the North Sea,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11this wild landscape is a haven for sea birds,
0:32:11 > 0:32:16with over 150,000 nesting here at the height of the breeding season.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18I have never been to the Farnes before.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20I can't wait to get out exploring
0:32:20 > 0:32:23but I've been warned to bring a hat.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32The first to greet me here are the Arctic terns
0:32:32 > 0:32:34and they're not entirely pleased to see me.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37The reason they are so aggressive is they are just
0:32:37 > 0:32:39trying to defend their youngsters.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Some of them are on eggs, some of them have little chicks.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47They have these beautiful blood-red bills.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It is actually incredibly off-putting
0:32:50 > 0:32:51and that's why they do it.
0:32:51 > 0:32:57Their bites don't really hurt in any way but when they nest in a colony
0:32:57 > 0:33:00and they scream and they fly about in your face,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02they see me as a potential predator.
0:33:03 > 0:33:04Hello.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07I'm sorry, we're just passing through.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Beautiful creatures.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12Thousands of them here.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17And you don't have to look far to see the nests they're protecting.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20If you can stop for a moment and look around,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23you'll see that there are lots of nests here.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Some of them are still on eggs, some are little chicks,
0:33:25 > 0:33:30some with big chicks, but they're absolutely everywhere.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33It is very hard to figure out who belongs to who.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38With just over 1,500 pairs,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41the Arctic terns are doing really well here
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and they are not the only ones.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Puffins are another of the island's most famous residents.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49They come here to breed,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52returning to the same underground burrows every year.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Jennifer Clark from the National Trust has been monitoring these
0:33:55 > 0:33:59characterful birds and checking the progress of their youngsters.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Are you feeling anything?
0:34:02 > 0:34:04- Oh.- Have you got something?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Oh, I just felt a warm body.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Hello.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- I've got it.- What have you got?
0:34:11 > 0:34:12There we go, it's a puffin.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14- Well done.- Look at that.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16That's great. So we'll just pop its wings in.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's quite a big one, that one, so that's maybe got another week
0:34:19 > 0:34:21or two before it's going to leave the burrow.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23It's still very fluffy.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25They can't go into the sea whilst they are fluffy like this because
0:34:25 > 0:34:28the downy feathers will become waterlogged.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30It needs to wait until it loses all that down.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33How long does it take them from egg to leaving?
0:34:33 > 0:34:35It's as an egg for 40 days and then it is a chick in the burrow
0:34:35 > 0:34:37for 40 days before it leaves
0:34:37 > 0:34:39and it will leave under the cover of darkness because
0:34:39 > 0:34:43it is much safer to do that, less likely to get attacked by gulls,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45and it will go straight into the water,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49straight out to sea and that will be them until they are ready to breed
0:34:49 > 0:34:52in a few years' time and they will come back to land again.
0:34:52 > 0:34:53What is it being fed on?
0:34:53 > 0:34:55It is being fed on sand eels,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57and you will see puffins with their beaks jam-packed
0:34:57 > 0:35:00full of sand eels, and they have to run a bit of a gauntlet
0:35:00 > 0:35:03through the black-headed gulls because they will try and steal them
0:35:03 > 0:35:05off them before they get to the burrow.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I'll let you put this little one back in the burrow.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10And you see, that's the sea out there.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13That's where you're going to spend the rest of your life, yeah?
0:35:15 > 0:35:19The Farnes are home to an incredible 80,000 puffins.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Like other sea birds here, they have been thriving thanks to the
0:35:22 > 0:35:25conservation efforts of the National Trust,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28which manages these wild islands. With so many birds,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32the rocks are often jam-packed and nesting sites are at a premium.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35It is like a little city of guillemots here.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36They really live cheek by jowl,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39and I think they have one of the tiniest territories
0:35:39 > 0:35:42in the bird world because, really, when you think about it,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44it is just where they lay their egg.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47That is the little bit of Mother Earth that they defend.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50They all seem to get on somehow.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58It's really a stunningly beautiful place here.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Tens of thousands of puffins.
0:36:01 > 0:36:07Kittiwakes, guillemots, fulmar - all living out their lives here.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11I think, in many ways, sea bird colonies are our wildest places.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20It was great to get to the Farne Islands at last.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23It is a place I'd always wanted to get to but the one thing you don't
0:36:23 > 0:36:27notice on television, of course, is how bad they smell.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31The place is full of guano and the smell of that,
0:36:31 > 0:36:32I can still smell it now.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35I can smell it on you actually, Colin, if I'm honest!
0:36:35 > 0:36:39But I reckon sea bird colonies are about the closest things we've got
0:36:39 > 0:36:43to the Serengeti, that real sense of wildlife all around you.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46It did look fantastically wild, I have to say,
0:36:46 > 0:36:52but the sad thing is that although these are spectacular wild places,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56man is having an impact and some sea bird colonies you will find now
0:36:56 > 0:36:59nests are being built with bits of plastic,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02where birds have mistaken those for seaweed.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06On the island of Grassholm off West Wales, for instance,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10the nesting gannet population is really suffering the effects of
0:37:10 > 0:37:15plastic pollution and volunteers regularly save over 50 birds a year.
0:37:18 > 0:37:19Yeah, it's shocking really.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22There's been a study that was published fairly recently that said
0:37:22 > 0:37:27that perhaps 90% of the sea birds in the world now contain plastic
0:37:27 > 0:37:30in their stomachs. So what can we do about it?
0:37:30 > 0:37:32That's you and I.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36Use less plastic, try and avoid it at all costs wherever possible
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and if you find it, dispose of it properly.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43And plastic pollution isn't just a problem for our shorelines
0:37:43 > 0:37:45and wild spaces above the waves.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49As the One Show's Miranda Krestovnikoff discovered in 2013
0:37:49 > 0:37:51when she headed to Pembrokeshire.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58The Pembrokeshire coast is the only coastal National Park in the UK,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02reflecting the importance and beauty of this area above the waves.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05And life below the waves here is just as stunning.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09In 2004, around 1,400 square kilometres of sea
0:38:09 > 0:38:14off this coastline was designated a special area of conservation.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17Yet just because it is highly protected by law it doesn't mean
0:38:17 > 0:38:19the underwater world is out of harm's way.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24A national beach clean-up held in 2012 showed that the amount of
0:38:24 > 0:38:28litter on our shores had increased by 15% in just one year.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34And that rubbish can easily make its way from our beaches
0:38:34 > 0:38:35into the marine environment
0:38:35 > 0:38:38where the problem becomes much less visible.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Out of sight is often out of mind, but not for Neptune's Army,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Britain's only dedicated marine rubbish collecting team.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Their mission, to keep the underwater world pristine.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Davy Jones has been volunteering with them for five years.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59We all know the shopping trolleys, they turn up quite regularly,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01plastic bowls, rod tips.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- Loads of lead weights. - Loads of lead weights, yeah.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08I think our record is 730 in one dive.
0:39:08 > 0:39:09No way.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Satellite dishes, computers,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14a whole range of things you wouldn't expect us to find in the sea.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Everything including the kitchen sink.
0:39:17 > 0:39:18And where is that coming from them?
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Sadly I think this sort of stuff is probably fly-tipped.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25I think people probably find it easier to throw things in the sea,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29perhaps, than go to their local tip, which is a bit of shame.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31And today I am joining in with the clean-up.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33My dive buddy is Dave Kennard,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36the man who brought this cleaning army together.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39The group's been running since 2005
0:39:39 > 0:39:43and it always amazes us how much we keep coming back and finding.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47The site we have come to today hasn't been dived by Neptune's Army yet this year.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52We are armed with a collecting crate because Dave is expecting plenty of rubbish.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00A very pretty dive site.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Beautiful. Oh!
0:40:02 > 0:40:07I love the sort of diving where you feel you've entered this underwater
0:40:07 > 0:40:11kingdom, the water encrusted with all sorts of sea life.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Today is not a pleasure dive, though,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16and it doesn't take long before we find what we are looking for.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Look, Dave, I bet you find a lot of that sort of stuff, don't you?
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Line and weights and hooks and everything.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31Just a fishing weight lying here, metre and metres of it.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Look at that. One more for the bag.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40'It's staggering just how much broken fishing line we are finding
0:40:40 > 0:40:43'and it doesn't just look unsightly, it can be really damaging too.'
0:40:43 > 0:40:47Just imagine if you're a crab,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50a spider crab with all those little spiky edges
0:40:50 > 0:40:54and you are walking along the rocks and you meet one of those.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55Ow!
0:40:57 > 0:40:59This footage shot by Neptune's Army
0:40:59 > 0:41:03shows that much of the clean-up diver's time is spent
0:41:03 > 0:41:06untangling animals caught in old fishing equipment.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Lots of the rubbish they find can leak poisonous chemicals
0:41:10 > 0:41:12which can kill wildlife.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19It's astonishing, all that rubbish off the sea bed.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23'Time to send today's haul to the surface so the boat can pick it up.'
0:41:27 > 0:41:29I was quite depressed actually.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31I was quite pleased with what we were doing.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34We were doing a really important job.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36As divers, I felt there was a real purpose to our dive,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39but this made me feel quite upset, really.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42There is lots more out there to be cleaned, sadly.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44If you see a bit of rubbish, just pick it up.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46You have an impact straight away, really.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49On one dive you feel like you've made a difference.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Experiences like this remind me of
0:41:51 > 0:41:55just how critical volunteers are to wildlife conservation.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59These guys may be the only dedicated team of marine rubbish collectors in
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Britain, but I hope through their work they will inspire more people
0:42:02 > 0:42:06to get involved. Our seas certainly need it.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11They really do, but the good thing is,
0:42:11 > 0:42:15that particular team have completed over 100 dives now
0:42:15 > 0:42:16on the Pembrokeshire coast
0:42:16 > 0:42:19and they are on an awareness-raising mission.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22And that really is the most important thing
0:42:22 > 0:42:24because the fundamental answer to this problem, really,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27is to stop plastic getting into our oceans in the first place.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Tomorrow on Wild UK,
0:42:33 > 0:42:34we turn our attention to mountains
0:42:34 > 0:42:39and the wildlife that makes our Highlands their home.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Colin discovers the secret past of Snowdonia.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44It really feels very isolated
0:42:44 > 0:42:48and I've just realised I can't see another living soul.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Lucy encounters the king of corvids, the raven.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55And, on a remote island in the sea, we go behind the scenes with
0:42:55 > 0:42:59the Wild Alaska team as they say, they are the walrus.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03You can keep up with all the latest news from the Wild Alaska team
0:43:03 > 0:43:06online all this week
0:43:06 > 0:43:10and don't forget to tune in tonight on BBC One at 8pm
0:43:10 > 0:43:14for all the latest wild happenings from Alaska.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18And join us again tomorrow, BBC One, 9.15 am
0:43:18 > 0:43:24for more Wild UK - because the UK is wilder than you think.